The present invention generally relates to a system and a method for managing and/or using data for tools in a wellbore. More specifically, the present invention provides one or more tools located downhole or at the surface with access to data and intelligence to perform actions based on the data. For example, one or more of the tools may utilize measurement data to adjust drilling operations, tool operations and/or the like without instructions from a surface location. As another example, one or more of the tools may connect to a network and/or a database to access information and to perform an action, such as, for example, to improve performance of the tool or improve performance of the drilling process. The tools may automatically perform diagnostics and report a status of the diagnostics to the network and/or the database without instructions from the network.
To obtain hydrocarbons, a drilling tool is driven into the ground surface to create a borehole through which the hydrocarbons are extracted. Typically, a drill string is suspended within the borehole. The drill string has a drill bit at a lower end of the drill string. The drill string extends from the surface to the drill bit. The drill string has a bottom hole assembly (BHA) located proximate to the drill bit.
Drilling operations may be conducted in a vertical, horizontal or directional orientation of the drill string. Vertical drilling refers to drilling in which the trajectory of the drill string is inclined approximately ten degrees or less. Horizontal drilling refers to drilling in which the drill string is approximately perpendicular to the ground surface. Directional drilling refers to drilling in which the trajectory of the drill string is inclined between ten degrees and ninety degrees. Directional drilling may be advantageous in that directional drilling may enable several wells to be drilled from one drilling platform.
Drilling operations typically require monitoring to determine the trajectory of the borehole. Measurements of drilling conditions, such as, for example, drift of the drill bit, inclination, azimuth and the like, may be necessary for determining the trajectory of the borehole, especially for directional drilling.
The BHA may have tools that may generate and/or may obtain information regarding the wellbore, a surrounding formation and the drilling conditions. Technology for transmitting information within a wellbore, known as telemetry technology, is used to transmit the information from the tools of the BHA to a surface location for analysis. The information may be used to control the tools. Accurate real-time information regarding the tools, the wellbore, the surrounding formation and the drilling conditions may enable prevention and/or detection of a drilling problem, such as, for example, a hazard region which the drilling tool must avoid, a blowout, casing wear and/or the like. Moreover, adjustment of the drilling operations in response to accurate real-time information may enable optimization of the drilling process to increase a rate of penetration of the drill bit, reduce a drilling time and/or optimize a placement of the wellbore.
Wired drill pipe, such as the wired drill pipe infrastructure described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,434, enables high-speed transmission of the information from the tools to the surface location. The wired drill pipe infrastructure may have communication cables embedded in the drill pipe for transmittal of the information. In addition, the communication cables may be connected to coupling devices located at each joint of the drill pipe to enable transmission of the information and transmission of fluid through the drill pipe. In an embodiment, a tubular sleeve may secure the communication cables and/or protect the communication lines from damage.
The high-speed transmission by the wired drill pipe may provide a data transmission rate that may be orders of magnitude greater then a data transmission rate of other telemetry technologies, such as, for example, mud pulse telemetry or electronic pulse telemetry. The high-speed transmission by the wired drill pipe may also provide data transmission from relatively distant drilling depths.
However, communication with downhole tools is generally limited to providing commands and receiving measurement information. In addition, downhole tools are limited in diagnostic control within the borehole. Typically, a problem associated with a downhole tool requires removing the tool from the wellbore prior to analyzing the tool for defects. As a result, considerable drilling time is lost in the event of a tool failure. Moreover, determination of whether the problem associated with the tool may cause failure of the tool is difficult, if not impossible. Frequently, an operator or other like individual does not determine that the tool has a problem until the tool completely fails or repeatedly fails. Accordingly, tools usually fail prior to any recognition of potential problems.